Poly, Tips, Don't Miss, Dos and Don'ts??????

[KAT1811]

We are staying at the Poly for 5 nights for the first time (at the start of our vacation, as an addition to our already planned trip). I was wondering if all of the Poly fans out there could give me a little insight on what to do/not do, at the Poly. I will be traveling with my parents and my three youngest children (they will be almost 6, almost 4, and 1 1/2 by then). Any tips, room suggestions, hidden treasures are greatly appreciated. We will be moving to OKW when DH and our oldest DD arrive. Thank you in advance!

[southerngirl]

Hi there:

We stayed at the Poly for the first time last December. My travel party was DH, DS (who was 18 months at the time) and me. Originally, we were supposed to stay at the Grand Flo, but we got a great deal on the club level at the Poly, so we decided we couldn't pass it up. I was a little leery at first, because I'd heard a lot about how crowded the main building could be and how the rooms were very "Brady Bunch Goes Hawaii" themed. However, we loved the resort, and we're going back there in July and December! Here is a list of the things we loved the most:

The gardens, especially in the early morning and at night--They are really beautiful and peaceful, and it really does feel like you're in the tropics.

Kona Coffee Bar/Sushi Island--We're big coffee drinkers and also love sushi, and we found this place to just be perfect for us, especially since you can take the food/drinks to go. It's really nice to have a little snack on your patio/balcony either morning or night, enjoying the tropical themeing.

Volcano pool--If you're traveling with kids who can swim, they'll love it. My advice would be to go early in the day, then have a nice lunch and a break and maybe go to a park that night. In the middle of the day, the pool can get hectic. But, the quite pool is also nice.

Resort activities--From hula lessons to torch lighting ceremonies to pool games, there is a lot of fun to be had right on the resort grounds. None of the activities are very crowded, and it's fun for the kids. I've also heard that the Neverland Club is great for kids, if you want an adults' night out.

Restaurants in the GCH--We love breakfast at O'hanas, especially if you go early. The character interaction is great, and the food is really good. Also, Kona has some really good food, and it can be fun to have a relaxing late lunch there (around 2), because at that time of day, the GCH is pretty empty.

[DebK]

Hi!

Don't forget that if you want to go to Epcot, you can walk over to the TTC instead of riding the monorail all the way around........

[diz_girl]

This is pretty common knowledge, but there is a path that leads to the TTC and you can go there to hop on the EPCOT monorail, instead of taking the local around the loop to the TTC.

The EWP starts at the Poly at 9 p.m. most every night. If Wishes is scheduled for the same time, then they will delay the EWP until Wishes is over. It's a treat and kids love it.

Watching Wishes from the beach is so nice. The kids might have fun on the hammocks and your parents might like sitting together on the swing chairs.

The Volcano pool is fun, but when it is crowded, the quiet pool is often deserted (except for the ducks).

Ask for a schedule of activities. They have some activites for children during the day.

You might want to request the Tokelau building. The rooms are bigger, but I don't think that they have the double sinks. We had room 2919 and had a partial view of the lagoon and could see the CR from our balcony.

You can get Tonga Toast at Captain Cook's, which is the QS restaurant at the Poly.

The big don't is - DON'T go in the lagoon.

[Polynesian Dweller]

Another transportation method not to be missed is the resort launch to MK. It runs from the Poly to MK to GF to the Poly. Great little service.

There is also a walking path from the Poly to GF. It's about 15min from the GHC past the wedding pavillion and spa to GF. Little used soba nice quiet walk along the lagoon shorelne.

And when you arrive, look for the big Hidden Mickey on the lobby floor near the main doors.

[Fastpasssteve]

I do like the path torch lighting in the evening. It is lovely.

Also, if it is a rainy night and the Luau gets cancelled, they often bring the musicians and vocalists/dancers in to the lounge on the 2nd floor outside 'Ohana to perform a few songs as a consolation.